Finding Yoga Classes Online and At Home!

Happy Friday!! I don’t know about you but by the time I make it to Friday I’m exhausted. It’s probably all of those 5AM wake up calls but studying is important so I’m getting it done! I’m looking forward to sleeping in a bit tomorrow before a yoga class and brunch with my Mom. Sounds like a nice little Saturday huh? Tonight I have a causal and fun night planned with my friend Jen! We became close when I lived in upstate NY and even though I live in Boston now we still keep in touch and manage to see each other a couple times a year. She’s always fun to catch up with and has a similar outlook on life. There is nothing like time with a good girlfriend! The other highlight of my weekend? No long run! Since I broke up with running for the week I am going to spin or swim on Sunday instead. A nice change in pace if you ask me!

As you all know I love yoga classes. I always take my classes in the studio since I like walking into a nice warm room, the dim lighting, rolling out my mat and releasing to the instructors flow. It’s nice to not think, or plan. I get lost in my breath and body and relax. Sometimes though I can’t make it to a scheduled class or am in need of a yoga session before work when I don’t have time to get to the studio and to work in time. So where do I go to find yoga classes then? Well, quite a few places actually. I’ve had a few requests over the last couple weeks for a post about this so hopefully you will all find it useful!

Yoga DVDs.

I have a few yoga DVDs at home. I ordered them from the Gaiam website and really like them. My personal favorite is the Power Yoga DVD with Rodney Yee since it is the closest video I have to a Vinyasa Class. I like this option when I want to just get going with my practice and not fuss with HDMI cords and the internet. I think it’s a wise idea for every Yogi to have at least a couple of DVDs they love to practice to at home.

Yoga DVDs

My Yoga Online.

I’ve managed to get a few free subscriptions to this over the last year and I’m rather impressed with it. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a free subscription or trial it costs about $9.95 a month or $89.95 a year. This website has some of the best videos I’ve seen in a while with a wide variety in style. They have everything from Hatha, Vinyasa, Power Yoga to Meditation. I also like that many of the videos are filmed in an actual yoga studio with students and the instructor. It makes me feel like I’m right there with them which I like. I would really recommend this if you are someone who lives in an area where there aren’t a ton of studios and you practice at home a lot.

My Yoga Online

Yoga Download.

Similar to My Yoga Online this site offers a wide variety of videos. They have Ashtanga, Kundalini, Power, Vinyasa, Restorative, and more. The beauty of this site is you can purchase classes Ala Carte or purchase a Subscription. When you buy Ala Carte you can choose to stream the video which is cheaper or download it which is a little more expensive. When you download it though you can save it to your computer and it’s yours forever! Awesome right? For the subscription there are a few different options but the pricing is $9.95 per month or $89.95 per year. You are given unlimited streaming with this and unlimited downloads (for yearly subscription) or 6 downloads per month (for monthly subscription). They offer audio and video styles. I like this option because you could easily load this on to your iPod or iPhone and take it with you on vacation, when you travel for work or wherever you go!

Yoga Download

Side Note: If you search Yoga Download on YouTube a few 20 minute videos come up like this Yoga for Runner’s one I shared a few months ago. It’s perfect if you want to try it out before spending your money!

YouTube.

I like this option but find it can be tricky to find good classes that last a half hour to an hour. YouTube is great for finding short sequences, or how-to’s for a pose. With that said, I have come across some good videos and enjoyed them. Here’s what I usually search and have had some good luck with…

Yoga Workout 30 Minutes

30 Minute Yoga YouTube Search

Yoga Workout Full Class

Yoga Workout Full Class Search

Netflix.

You may have seen the excitement about this on Twitter and yes, Netflix offers some yoga videos on its website. If you pay for the full subscription you have access to even more videos on DVD. This is a great option if you are a Netflix subscriber because you can constantly try new DVDs and have a wide variety!

Yoga on Netflix

On Demand.

I don’t have cable anymore but I once did and I thoroughly enjoyed the yoga workouts they offered in their On Demand section. I know in New England this service is offered through Comcast and in New York this is offered through Time Warner cable. If you are interested in this I’d check with your local cable provider and see if this is available to you. It’s a great way to get even more out of your cable!

Design My Own Class.

I’m cautious with putting this in here but I think it’s worth it. I’ve been practicing for over 3 years now and have learned quite a bit about yoga, the poses, what my body can handle and designing a flow. If you are new to yoga, or unsure of the way a class should flow or the poses please do not do this at home and instead use a video to follow instead. Sometimes I really enjoy putting on some of my favorite relaxing music and going through my own flows. This way I can give my body exactly what it needs. I keep the flows short so I don’t forget a pose when I move to the next side. It’s all about keeping your body balanced in yoga!

As always, listen to your body and don’t do a pose that hurts, scares you or makes you uncomfortable. That goes for yoga at home and in the studio! Please leave a comment telling me where you find your favorite yoga classes when you practice at home! This post can be a great resources for all the yogi’s out there!

Do you prefer practicing in the studio or at home? Where do you find yoga videos to follow at home? What is your favorite style? Do you have a subscription to any of these sites?

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17 thoughts on “Finding Yoga Classes Online and At Home!”

Hi! I am a yoga instructor and practitioner for 10 years now and there are a lot of times when I am too busy or lazy to go to the studio. I also watch free yoga videos online to practice at home and I can recommend Shapeshifter yoga on YouTube or Fitness Blender. Some great videos there. You can follow their plans or create your own. Minimal equipment is needed. Yoga equipment are cheap. A lot of the videos on those sites are shorter, so you can squeeze them in when you can.

Aside from Yogaglo, which a couple people have mentioned already, I often use a podcast when I can’t get to a studio or classes aren’t working with my schedule. I’ve found that Dave Farmar’s podscasts are great and pretty challenging (Baptiste Power Yoga). I can literally do them anywhere with the podcasts downloaded to my iPod or iPhone. And they’re free! Since there are no videos, they’re good for someone who’s been practicing for a while and pretty comfortable with yoga. Thanks for the other suggestions!

I definitely prefer practising in a studio – you can’t beat the feeling when the energy in the room is on point, the room heats up and the group is breathing in unison. But this January I tried practising on my own and doing the Yoga Journal 21-day challenge. It took me a few sessions to get accustomed to practising on my own and giving up the sense of the known practise and opening up to the unexpected. I didn’t complete the whole challenge, as life was a little nuts at the time. But at least I know I can do it!

By the way, tag, you’re it! I’ve tagged you in the following post and would love to read your answers:

There are very few yoga classes where I live, so I also use yogaglo. They have different styles, class durations, and I like that it is HD. I found my yoga online recently and will start to use that. If there was a studio close by, I’d go b/c I like being in a separate space when practicing yoga. Thanks for this!

Thanks for sharing all these great resources. I am a big fan of going to the studio, there is something so relaxing and soothing about it. But, it does get expensive and it is nice to just be able to do it at home. On Demand was my go-to before I got rid of it. Now I use youtube but it’s just not the same.
Have a great weekend!

Hey! Great post but you’re missing YogaGlo! It’s an awesome resource of yoga classes along with other related classes. I use YogaGlo to stay connected with my meditation teacher as I travel frequently.

I tend to prefer practicing in the studio, but I find the ‘studio’ anywhere. I’ve done yoga with a friend on top of a mountain in Antarctica, with friends outside in a field in the rain, with hundreds of people in Bryant Park, NYC… I enjoy the community of the practice. I very much enjoy meditating alone in my home, but find it hard to do yoga alone in my home.

I practice at home now. I have been using http://www.doyogawithme.com recently. Free yoga classes and they are pretty good. Otherwise I do a DVD or On Demand option. I do love being in a class with an instructor, but sometime it’s just not possible! I love yoga so I am willing to do it wherever!

I love pre- and post-run yoga,which is difficult to coordinate around a studio schedule so I usually find something on YouTube. Search results are different every time, so it’s a bit hit and miss, but always something different!